When it comes to vehicle maintenance, many car owners have a tough time deciding where to go to have their rides worked on, and the choice is usually between a dealer and an auto repair franchise.
According to AutoBlog, a recent survey from AutoMD found that most people trust these independent repair shops over dealerships, as 80 percent of drivers think they have been overcharged for car repair at a dealership. Another 90 percent believed they could find better prices at an independent business.
Of the drivers who do end up taking their cars to a dealer, most do so because their vehicle is still under warranty or there has been an official recall from the automaker. The survey revealed that 83 percent of people who turn to a dealer said they would go to an independent shop if the warranty or recall was out of the picture.
"It's no secret that consumers are holding onto their vehicles for record lengths of time, meaning more and more visits to the repair shop or dealer service center," said Brian Hafer of AutoMD.com. "... With so many aging cars now falling outside the warranty, this survey indicates that consumers are going to compare repair quotes - and then go where they believe the price is right."